


Next of Kin

by LuckyJam



Series: Two Sides of the Coin [1]
Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death, more tags to come, trans!Ela
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 22:42:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14882598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyJam/pseuds/LuckyJam
Summary: A multi-chapter series exploring the relationship between the Bosak sisters. Going into detail about Ela and Zofia's past, exploring the mystery behind Jan Bosak's suicide, and following the two sisters on their path to reconciliation.





	Next of Kin

Ela had just gotten back from what must have been her toughest operation yet. An escort mission in Baghdad. Her squad was tasked to escort a payload through the desert, unload it at the designated drop point, and return to base in one piece. Easier said than done. Ela and her team of contractors were outnumbered and easily overwhelmed by the enemy soldiers. A massive firefight broke out at the drop point leaving several of them wounded, including Ela. 

She had earned a nasty wound in her shoulder when she left her assigned position in an attempt to flank behind enemy lines. When the squad returned to base, her commander chewed her out as a medic patched up her shoulder. 

 

“Your arrogance is going to get you killed one day!” He barked, “You were supposed to stay. At. Your. Post. What kind of soldier can’t follow orders?!”

 

His words fell on deaf ears. It wasn’t the first time Ela was chewed out by a commanding officer, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. She simply stared up at the officer, keeping a blank face. In her mind, she believed she acted in the right. Sure, she suffered a minor flesh wound, but thanks to her distraction, the rest of her squad was able to push the enemy back, ultimately winning the fight. She scoffed as the officer left the medical wing. What did he know? Ela thanked the medic for his service, and left the room. However, when she reached for the door handle, a sharp pain in her shoulder made her wince. She rubbed the afflicted area tenderly. Perhaps it wasn’t as much of a “minor” flesh wound as she thought. 

 

Ela’s bad mood began to fade as she entered the mess hall. She looked around the room, watching the soldiers go about their business. Some eating, some laughing, some talking. She could hear music coming from the ancient PA system that hung in the corner of the hall. The sounds of the chattering soldiers and the faint, somewhat distorted music clashed together. Most would find the mess hall crowded and chaotic, but Ela rather enjoyed it. The constant noise made her feel less alone. More at home. She looked around the room, and she saw family. Over the years, that’s what life on base was like. She came here with almost nothing. No money, no family, no home. However, here she made a name for herself. Quite literally, actually. The bonds she created here would last her a lifetime. The base was Ela’s sanctuary. A place where she was free from her father’s expectations, a place where she hasn’t been dead-named in years. A place where her colleagues became family. A place she could finally call home.

 

“Hey, Bosak!”

Ela turned around to face the soldier walking towards her, a redheaded woman carrying a stack of mail. She handed Ela an envelope, “Got a letter for you” She said, walking off. Ela knitted her eyebrows, stumped by the letter in her hands.  She turned the envelope over to read the address, and once she did, her heart sank. Her eyes were drawn to the symbol in the top right corner, a shield bearing a soaring eagle. She would always be able to recognize it, even only from a glance. It was the GROM emblem, the symbol her sister longed to bear, the symbol her father wore with pride-- and at one time-- urged for her to wear as well. Now, it was merely another ghost from her past. The sight of it made Ela sick, and she quickly left to her quarters, wanting to open the letter in private. She briskly walked down the halls of the base, fearing that she already knew what the letter entailed.

 

Once she reached her quarters, Ela closed the door behind her. She placed the letter on her desk, rummaging through her drawer to find a small pocket knife. As she cut open the envelope, she noticed her hands were shaking. She inhaled deeply, taking a moment to calm down before reading the letter. 

 

_ “Elzbieta Bosak,  _

 

_ I extend my most profound sympathy to you on the recent loss of your father, Jan Bosak, who was found dead on…”  _

 

Ela didn’t even bother reading the rest of the letter. She sighed in relief, leaning back in her chair. Although the news was fairly shocking, it wasn’t nearly as devastating as what she imagined. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the old tattered piece of her grandfather’s uniform. She had carried it around with her since she was child. Holding it in her hands always seemed to calm her nerves. Usually, Ela tried her best to forget everything about her father, but right now, she just wanted to remember the last time they even  _ spoke _ . It had been ages. She was, what, eighteen when she left home? She tried to remember everything she could. Shoving all her belongings into a suitcase-- what would fit, at least. Sneaking into her father’s bedroom to steal whatever cash she could find. She remembered how scared shitless she was when he caught her rummaging through his drawers. The crash of a beer bottle just barely missing her head as she ran out of his room, trying to ignore whatever foul things he was shouting at her. She remembered flipping him off as she walked out the front door. Most importantly, she remembered how  _ happy _ she was. She smiled as she tried her hardest to recreate the day. The brisk wind against her face, the sound of the wheels on her suitcase rolling against the pavement. It was a cold winter’s morn that day, but excitement burned so fiercely in Ela’s chest that she hardly noticed the chill. She didn’t know what was next for her, but she loved the freedom. Maybe she could go to art school. The memory brought a chuckle out of Ela.  _ “That was a bust” _ She thought to herself. 

 

It was at this time that Ela realized how late it was. So she got up from her desk, and decided to get some sleep. However, even as she went about her night time routine, she couldn’t shake the thought of her father’s death from her mind. It made her uneasy more than anything. Ela had spent the majority of her adult life distancing herself away from the Bosak name— mostly her father— and hearing news of his death just brought back everything she was trying to run away from. Honestly, Ela would have been fine if no one bothered to tell her at all. What difference would it make? She didn’t give a damn about her father when he was alive, what would it matter to her if he was dead?

 

However, what troubled her the most, were the thoughts about her sister. Much like her father, Ela hadn’t spoken to Zofia since she left home. In her opinion, however, that was mostly Zofia’s fault. When Zo left home when Ela was a teenager, she promised Ela that she would keep in touch, but that was a lie. After a few years, Zofia stopped calling. Hell, she even stopped writing. The last Ela heard of her was a newspaper article covering her heroic mission in Guatemala. It seemed that Zofia was  _ far _ too busy to keep in touch, so why should she even bother? And yet… She still missed her. Ela loved her sister, she always did. She wondered how Zofia would take the news. When they were growing up, it was her who would always protect Ela from their father whenever he was around. She never defended him or took his side, but Ela knew she still admired him. Why? She’d never understand, but she knew that whatever relationship Zofia and their father had was… Complicated, to say the least. As Ela lay in her bed, trying to fall asleep, she wondered how her sister was doing. Maybe she should give her a call. 

**Author's Note:**

> btw if any of you freaks tag this as incest I'm shoving you in a locker


End file.
